The Wrapping Paper
by myfailsafe
Summary: AEOY Side Story/Gift Fic, AU : Peanut butter and jelly, a cat toy, a skirt and a dictionary? Some things about Christmas you’ll just never get. Shounen-Ai SasuNaru


Side Story: The Wrapping Paper

Author's Notes: (Holy hell a post!) This is a gift fic for _both_ my muses. Guilt is killing me knowing I was going to do separate gift fics, but time (and stress filled holidays) has killed my creativity. It's an AEOY side story (yeah, I said it…AEOY) and it's a little something that fits in the gap between the last chapter and the Epi.

Also: I do know proposals are done in a rather very romantic and over the top ways. I wanted this to not only be slightly funny and awkward, I wanted this to be something that leaned towards both Sasuke's and Naruto's personalities.

Disclaimer: I don't own it, nothing at all.

Warnings: Awkward humor, cross-dressing, a kiss and maybe a foul word or two.

Side Story: The Wrapping Paper

For Taylor and Jen – Happy Holidays and as always, thank you and love you.

* * *

"Hey Hinata…?" Naruto hummed, his feet kicking and swinging wildly in the air playfully with his stomach resting uncomfortably on the floor and a pillow bunched underneath his chest, his bright eyes glued directly on the television in front of him.

"Yes?" Hinata responded, not taking her concentration off of putting cream under Naruto's eyes after she had finished applying the facial mask.

"What are you and Kiba doing for Christmas?" Naruto asked, turning to look at his friend, and feeling the creams and masks mixing together. Hinata gasped at first but immediately smiled, "I thought I was going to get your eye."

The blond waved her off, "You two going to enjoy a romantic night in your new house?"

Hinata blushed the deepest shade of red when Naruto elbowed her in her ribs, but immediately stopped when he thought she might pass out from embarrassment. "You know what I mean Hinata."

The girl blinked owlishly towards her tangled fingers, "W-what?"

"You know. He buys you a pretty diamond necklace, you beat him up for charging it, and then you two drink sparkling cider by the fake fireplace. That kind of romantic. Mind out of the gu-_humph_!"

The blond rolled over and gently collided with Hinata, the girl giggling and Naruto squinted up at a rather fuming Kiba, "Dude, that was my kidney."

"Dude," Kiba mocked, "That's my girlfriend."

"Not my fault you tainted her mind, you sick bastard."

Kiba sighed with a shake of his head, sitting down next to Hinata as he stripped off his warm gloves and relished in the heat. The woman smiled, and giggled as she swept her index finger across Kiba's forehead to smear on a mixture of facial mask and eye cream when the man bent in to give her a kiss.

"How is it out there?" Naruto asked casually, "Holiday shoppers are insane, but the day before Christmas is like…wow. It's like Super Bowl parking and you face off against the best line backers in the store, you know?"

Kiba snorted, wrapping an arm around Hianta's shoulders, "Tell me about it, one woman I came face to face with could totally play for the Eagles. Scared the shit out of me."

"How old was she?" Naruto questioned, crossing his eyes and looking at the paste on his nose, "Thirty, forty?"

"Nah, had to be Seventy or something. You know those old shoppers that have experience under their belts and have their grand kids in mind. She threw her dentures at me." Kiba shivered.

"See," Naruto grinned, "That's why you get it done _early_."

Kiba eyed his friend, "Black Friday is not _early_. It's suicide."

"I got it done, didn't I?" Naruto continued, swinging his legs back and forth, "I got the gifts for the two of you and Shikamaru and Temari hidden away at Kakashi's, because you've finally come to your senses and won't step foot over there."

Kiba snorted, "No, you got your own place once we graduated college… I don't have to."

"Kakashi's and Iruka's gifts are hidden in your attic, along with Itachi's, because I think that's the only place Iruka can stop Kakashi from looking. And Itachi won't wonder far from the bat cave." Naruto ticked off his fingers, "And all of Sasuke's gifts are in the back room."

Kiba's jaw slackened slightly, "The back room…where I keep my _dog_ occasionally?"

Naruto rolled over lazily onto his back and sprawled out, jokingly smacking his friend on the way, "He's well behaved."

Hinata nodded and looked over at Kiba, giggling at the streak that still painted his forehead, "He's right."

"Alright, what did you get everyone?"

Naruto turned his face and glared.

"Asides us, dumbass."

The blond sat up, tugging down on his shirt and wiping his hands on his baggy worn-out sweatpants before scratching his head and really trying to remember exactly what he had got.

"I got Iruka two cookbooks and I got Kakashi an external hard drive so he can stop loading the computer with his book porn." Naruto sighed, "How does Iruka put up with it?"

Kiba cleared his throat and Naruto grimaced, "I told you you're a pervert."

The blond dodged a hasty jab that pulled Hinata quickly forward and the three laughed before Naruto carried on, "I got Itachi a Tinkerbell movie and a fairy wand."

Kiba sucked in a breath and turned to look at Hinata, whose eyebrows were drawn together in question wondering if perhaps, it was another one of Naruto's ruses.

"I'm serious, by the way," He continued on casually. "I also got him bright pink underwear that says _Princess_ on it. He deserves something for putting thumbtacks all over my hardwood."

Kiba snickered, "That's it, you're just going to give him that stuff and be done with it?"

Naruto shrugged, "We're going to a big Uchiha Christmas gathering where we exchange gifts. I figured in front of his parents would be good."

Hinata shook her head lightly, "Naruto…"

"I got Shikamaru a new backscratcher and a new drink grabber so he can extend his laziness a degree or two. I got Temari a gift card to that crazy clothing store she likes so much."

Kiba grinned, "The one where you put a bra on your head and ran around screaming you were a lost child?"

Naruto nodded, "I got the bastard more than he needs. I should have gotten him a Tiara that says _Princess_..."

Kiba chuckled, "Still arguing?"

"_Yes_…" Naruto hissed, not realizing he looked less aggravated and menacing with the paste on his face, "I know it happens, but man I wish I could just punch him."

Hinata giggled, "How about you just tell us what you got him?"

Naruto smiled, always thankful that Hinata constantly tugged him towards the positive when he fought to dance with the negative.

"I bought him that new laptop he kept trying to discreetly look at. I had that thing on layaway forever. Teacher's salary blows, do you know that?"

Kiba snorted, "He's a fancy business owner, you have money."

"I want to use _my_ money to get it. Not his, you know? Or else it's just like he's buying it, and he's giving it to himself and thus it is pointless." Naruto rambled.

"Okay…" Kiba said, giving his friend an odd look, "Go on."

"I got him the new laptop with everything nice on it that it could possibly have. That new phone that he wanted? You know the one? That does everything but fucking _call_? Really…but I got it for him. I just had to grab the phone bills so he didn't notice the upgrade I got on the stupid thing. Technically it's my fault…I send him text messages and picture messages all the time…" Naruto sighed, "I bought him an MP3 player finally because well…he needs to stop taking mine and complaining about what's on it. And then I bought him a stereo system for his car and scheduled the install. Then there is all the stocking stuffers…man… no wonder I take money from him when I want lunch."

Kiba blinked, "How long _have_ you been shopping for this stuff?"

The blond laughed, "Probably since last Christmas." He sighed, "I still remember the mistake of getting him chocolate last year. Fuck was that a mistake, this year I'm getting him back."

Kiba's eyes lit up, always ready to get back at Sasuke for whatever reason, "How?"

"I already did it while I was wrapping the gifts, I just have to wait for Christmas morning now. I put chocolate spray on everything just to piss him off." Naruto began laughing, "I can't wait to see his face when he even goes _near_ them. I'm going to give them another touch up tomorrow night."

Kiba looked over at Hinata just as she looked over at him, "_Naruto_," Kiba stretched puling his arm away and rubbing at his temples, "You sprayed something that smells like chocolate all over the gifts?"

Naruto cackled, "Yeah, inside and out of the wrapping paper."

Kiba sighed and then huffed, "In the back room…where my dog is."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "_Yes_ Kiba, how many time do…I…"

The three of them scrambled to get up, Hinata and Naruto still having their hair pulled back with the customary bandana's, barrettes and small hair ties with their face covered in paste as they ran down the hallway with Kiba following behind them.

The three burst through the room door to the back spare room with a _bang_!

* * *

"Idiot."

Kiba reminded Naruto _again_.

For the thirty-seventh time.

"Chocolate scented spray." Kiba muttered, holding up a tooth-track laden speaker, "The hell were you thinking? Chocolate might kill dogs, but that doesn't mean they're smart enough not to eat it."

Naruto sighed, holding up a slobbered up, nail dented, would-be chew toy of the once was perfect computer, "I get it."

"What if that crap was poisonous?" Kiba continued on.

"I would have bought you a stuffed dog for Christmas!" Naruto snapped, frowning at the cracked screen on the MP3 player.

"Naruto!" Hinata reprimanded lightly but enough to stop the two, "Kiba, stop please. We just have to be calm about this."

"Calm…" Kiba said bitterly.

"Oh don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm paying for the vet bill." Naruto grumbled, wincing at the cracked computer screen.

Kiba glared, "His teeth!"

"Your face!"

"Boys." Hinata said gently when they stood up, fists balled by their sides, but immediately stopped when they heard her quiet voice as their one of reasoning.

Hinata smiled towards Kiba, "The vet said this happens, and he'll be fine, but you need to be happy he didn't swallow anything harmful."

Kiba opened his mouth to say something, but she carried on, still calm and quiet, still holding on to her cell phone in case the vet would call about the other procedures they were going to perform.

"And Naruto, just be happy you have Sasuke on Christmas." Hinata went on, "And you two need to stop fighting." She added as an afterthought.

"He has a strong stomach-"

"Sasuke makes a lot of money-"

"-teeth are hard as rocks-"

"-can buy the crap his bastardly self-"

"-fighting for no reason…"

"-shouldn't fight, no…"

"Good!" Hinata nodded, "Naruto, I suggest you wash your face off and get moving."

The blond looked questionably at the woman before looking at Kiba, the two of them shrugging and Hinata giving a sympathetic look, "You have to get him something Naruto."

The blond deflated, "I have to go shopping. _Now_?"

She nodded, "Yes."

* * *

Whoever had said you should do anything for the one you love had obviously never gone out Christmas shopping Christmas Eve with the rest of humanity. Crazed mothers with gleams of determination in their eyes, worry stricken husbands who obviously waited till the last second, and of course the ones like Naruto – the 'something-went-wrong' types who had to get replacements.

Naruto got out of the car, triple checked the locks at the back end of the parking lot and double checked his coat around his body as the wind whipped fiercely. It took him two hours to get a parking space. Technically, it took him an hour and a half to get _into_ the parking lot to even drive around and consider parking, the other thirty he drove around and considered homicide.

Walking to the mall from the very back of the lot to the biggest mall in Konoha was more of a walk than he really thought. It took him _fifteen_ minutes. Take in mind he was a healthy man and his easy going pace easily surpassed most.

He finally reached the inside of the mall and realized that wearing skirts was easy compared to facing this. It was more than packed. It was impossible to move five steps without getting bumped in the shoulder, and not even a single person bothered to even think about muttering something of an apology. His feet got trampled to the point he considered going to the shoe store and buying steeled toe boots to simply get around the mall, until he walked by the shoe store, and realized he cherished his life more.

The first stop was the _Apple_ store. He figured since two of the things had to come from here, he would go there first.

He stopped in front of the store with wide eyes and felt as though he would vomit.

"Back of the line, pal." A man spat, narrowing his eyes and grabbing on to his bag with a fierce grip.

Naruto felt his lip curl at the way the man said the word pal, and how he _really_ didn't feel like being this man's pal.

"Where is the back of the line…_jackass_." Naruto said, making sure to pronounce the word loudly and clearly, glaring at the man who was just as bitter to be there as everyone else.

There was a portly woman behind the man, her cheeks tinted with rosy red and her tiny daughter clinging to her hand, "Sir, it's down that way."

Naruto didn't know if he was happy for her intrusion or not, wondering if going to jail for a pointless fight on Christmas Eve would have been worth it. Seeing the man raise his nose and turn back towards the store, Naruto was sure it would have been. But blue eyes turned towards the line, and followed it.

…And followed it.

…And followed it.

…And followed it.

…And lost sight of it.

"You've got to be kidding me." He muttered, jogging next to the line and running into several different people without a car.

But this wasn't a joke, a hoax or anything of the sort. It was real. The line was indeed longer than it should have been; rounding a corner and going down past another eight or nine shops and only parting for the people who needed to enter them. Naruto hung his head, feeling a little defeated.

He turned on his heel and walked back towards the _Apple_ store, ignoring the rude man at the front of the line who was still waiting for his turn and went straight to the three clerks obviously only there to do a line control.

"Excuse me? I know I sound like a kid at Disney World, but…how long is the line wait?"

The men exchanged looks, but one was polite as he answered, "Sir, I'm sorry but we doubt all the people in line today will get service. We suggest coming back after Christmas."  
Naruto twitched, "After Christmas would lose its Christmas gift feel, wouldn't it?"

One clerk stepped forward, frowning slightly, "Look, I know it isn't the same, but buy what you want online, and print out pictures and put them in bags. That way when you order it online, it's a guarantee you'll get it, because I doubt we'll have much after Christmas."

The blond smiled, "That's actually a smart idea."

"Try the Wal-Mart for the bags." The clerk suggested.

Naruto nodded, "By the way, say I needed to just get an exchange? Do you guys cover dog attacks on your products?"

* * *

Naruto tried to walk to the _Verizon_ store, and tried to get inside. He knew he was going to have to pay twice what he did for Sasuke's new phone, he at least had that in mind. He knew he wasn't going to be able to talk his way out of anything, and they wouldn't take any excuse, so they weren't going to give him the price they had when he gotten the new contract.

Why didn't he get the stupid insurance on the phone like a smart person?

But instead, he couldn't get inside this store either. No, not one inch of his foot could cross the threshold. And whereas _Apple_ was organized and friendly, _Verizon_ was sloppy and chaotic. What he was guessing was the line to even think of getting in was the huge mob of people circling the store, the mob who had also started barking at him about waiting his turn.

The blond extracted a piece of paper from his pocket, a few lines scribbled sloppily threw _MP3_ and _Laptop_ and the words _'fuckers_' and _'die assholes die_' littered the surrounding area.  
He dashed another line through _Cell Phone_ and promptly shoved the piece of paper back into his pocket with a heavy sigh that could even be heard over the crying kids, the angry mothers, stressed boyfriends, and angry elderly couples.

It was then he decided to leave the mall, noticing that the stereo and things could only be bought at _Best Buy_. The trip _out_ of the mall was easier than getting in. It seemed the short time he managed to survive inside, ten times more people manage to flood inside to swarm.

Getting to his car was a simple feat once he was outside, but getting out of the parking lot was more of a joke than something that was actually happening. It took him nineteen minutes to pull into the annoyingly slow flow of traffic, and as he continued to watch the clock, it took him forty-three minutes to get back _out_ of the lot.

Traffic was chaotic. Driving on Christmas Eve, Naruto decided, was now another sport all in itself. Rally car racing, drift racing and Nascar could _never_ compare to this. It was like driving ninety miles an hour and trying your damnedest not to play bumper car while everyone else wanted to play Mario Kart.

Why oh why did he have to come out _today_?

"Stupid dog."

* * *

Naruto sat in the very back of the parking lot for _Wal Mart._ _Best Buy_ had already closed. The list that was Sasuke's Christmas Gifts was now partially burned and then shredded all over the car, and some had even graciously flown out the window.

So now he had to hope that _Wal Mart_ had something – anything – so he could put something under their dinky little tree for the bastard that he called his boyfriend.

Upon entering _Wal Mart_ Naruto immediately knew he was screwed. The big named, top selling items were gone and no matter how much he asked or begged, they had nothing left. He contemplated on buying Sasuke a television, but realized he didn't need it because Kakashi and Itachi bought them a new one last year. He thought about buying him a new bookshelf since Naruto broke his old one via a wrestling match with Kiba, but remembered Iruka bought him one already, wrapped and all. Dining set – too girly. Recliner – no go. New Bed sheets?  
_  
Attention Wal Mart shoppers!_

"SHIT!" Naruto swore in the middle of the aisle, a woman giving him a wide eyed look and tugging her child along with a click of her tongue.

So as a last ditch effort, Naruto grabbed an armful of random things on the way to the check out.

* * *

This was it.

Christmas morning.

"BASTARD!" There was a smack on Sasuke's back with a wild swinging pillow, "SASUKE! WAKE UP! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

A head of sloppy raven hair emerged from underneath a pillow, just in time to get smacked with another pillow swing.

Sasuke growled, looking up through sloppy bangs and rubbing at his whiplashed neck, "What is wrong with you?"

Naruto cracked a smile at the croaked voice and dropped the pillow against his legs when Sasuke smacked his face back on his pillow and groaned, attempting to blindly cover himself up and fall back to sleep.

"Well!" Naruto called, "If you're just going to sleep, I suppose I'm going to have to make breakfast."

It happened in a flash; Sasuke getting up quicker than he would have liked any given morning, and Naruto following after him out of their bedroom giggling madly. It was mornings like these he was happy they decided to move in together right out of college, because there was nothing better than making fun of his boyfriend early in the morning.

Especially when said boyfriend was too tired to say or do anything back.

The two entered the kitchen; Sasuke walking the pace of a snail and sluggishly dragging his feet, and Naruto behind him dancing in his excitement on his tip toes and silently trying to rush him.

Sasuke turned, glancing at Naruto as if just noticing he was there and as if he was just coming to in the kitchen, "What's wrong with your boxers?"

Naruto looked down, only in his boxers still from rolling madly out of bed and dragging his weapon of choice with him, "It's festive."

Trying to defend a Santa on his crotch wasn't exactly how he intended to start the morning, and he really wasn't ready to turn around so Sasuke could say something about the presents on each cheek.

"Look at you though!" Naruto said tugging on his left boxer leg lightly, "Actually getting into the spirit."

Sasuke looked over from grabbing two mugs from the cabinet, the coffee maker having been automatically set the previous night, "I was tired of the whining."

Naruto let go of the silk, half-red and half-green boxers at the drone sentence and stuck his tongue out, only to have it caught.

Sasuke smirked when Naruto let out an inaudible yell and tried to swing badly aim blows, "It's Christmas dobe, and you've been looking forward to this so let's not ruin it with some argument."

Naruto silently watched as Sasuke made them breakfast, albeit impatient, but with a new small appreciation for Sasuke. He never new the bastard could put aside his rude behavior for the sake of his happiness but then again Sasuke always surprised him.

Especially today.

"It's Christmas, what do you want for breakfast?" Sasuke asked as he supported himself against the counter.

It had been a long standing tradition with Kakashi to eat whatever you pleased for breakfast come Christmas morning. Cake, ramen, chocolate bars, pizza; anything was fair game. Naruto was not about to let that tradition go to waste when he started dating Sasuke, especially when the poor guy was sucked into Christmas over at their house on breaks from school. It sure as hell wasn't going to die when they moved in together.

"I have cake in the fridge and I'll make a cup of instant ramen." Naruto sighed as he settled in to the small dining room table with his own coffee.

"So sugar, caffeine, and ramen. You'll never settled down." Sasuke commented as he moved around the kitchen, making breakfast.

"I have to be wide awake and on guard. Your brother is going to be at my dad's. That's a suicide mission and I want to be ready." Naruto joked as he threw an empty bowl on his head as a make-shift helmet.

"And who invited him?" Sasuke grumbled.

"I…hey! I just said we were going to my dad's house. That's it. He talked to Kakashi and Kakashi invited him." Naruto defended.

"I'm still blaming you."

Sasuke made the instant ramen for Naruto, and made a bowl of cereal for himself, and even went above and beyond to cut a slice (or chunk) of cake for Naruto as well. The two settled down at the table eating somewhat peacefully. Sasuke ate like he had sense, and Naruto ate like he was about to die.

The blond slammed his fork down on the table, "DONE! PRESENT TIME!"

Sasuke looked up from his barely touched food, "I've had four fucking bites-"

Naruto seized Sasuke upper arm and tugged with both hands, successfully dragging him out of his chair and earning him a rather irritated noise as he continued to tug him into the living room.

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto said, clapping his hands together and releasing his death grip, "Stockings then presents."

And it begun.

Sasuke cut the stockings down with a scowl, irritated he couldn't at least go put on a warm pair of pants before passing off Naruto's stocking that was taken in a flash and contently settled down to rummage through his own.

Naruto joyously and loudly pulled out an assortment of candy, a new set of headphones, and a new mug since his old favorite had been smashed.

One day he might actually hit his father.

Naruto rattled on about how happy he was to have more candy, and joked about how poor Sasuke was going to have to put up with him because he was going to eat it all, until Sasuke shut him up with a simple question.

"Peanut butter and jelly in a jar?"

Naruto looked up from the mug that he was holding in his hands, Sasuke holding up the jar of peanut butter and grape jelly to show with a curious but amused face.

"You like it."

"You do."

"You could try it out again." Naruto argued, "Maybe it tastes different when it's already mixed together."

"A cat toy then? What about that?" Sasuke asked holding up the feather on a string.

Naruto didn't hesitate in answering, "I figured we could have a little role-playing going on. I'll get cat ears and you can be my master."

Sasuke launched the plastic wrapped toy in Naruto's direction, "Fucking idiot."

And last, but certainly not least.

"A Barbie…"

"Funny, right?" Naruto asked trying to hold back the grimace.

"If I knew we were doing gag gifts I would have gotten you a brain." Sasuke said glaring at the doll.

"Ha-ha, jackass."

Sasuke took the package that was set in his lap and boldly unwrapped it while Naruto fiddled under the tree trying to scoop out his own gifts that Sasuke shoved to far underneath the tree. He didn't really know what to say as he pulled one thing after the other out of the large cardboard box.

One thing after the other was more strange than the first and more pointless than the last and worst of all didn't make one bit of sense as Sasuke dropped each of them on the floor next to the chair he sat in.

"Naruto, what in the hell is going on?"

Naruto sighed and knew it was no use, and so he crumbled. He pulled himself out of underneath the tree and stood, and quickly began to pace back and forth.

"I got you a bunch of stuff! Great stuff! I saved up my own money to get you this awesome stuff."

"Invisible and imaginary doesn't count dobe."

"No!" Naruto snapped, "I bought you that stupid fucking laptop and that dumb MP3 player, and that gay phone, and I even got you stereo stuff for your car. Akamaru chewed it all up because I wanted to play a little joke on you and it was really fucking stupid because _no _person covers dog attacks so I had to sit there online last night really late-" Naruto sucked in a deep breath mid ramble, "Looking for a website who didn't have fucking things backordered and reorder fucking EVERYTHING!"

Sasuke was still holding on to some random thing he had pulled out of the box, his brow furrowed as he stared forward at Naruto whose bare chest was heaving from his outburst.

"How did the dog-"

Naruto fought past the deep scarlet blush that snapped to attention on his face, "So…I was playing a joke on you, right? I wanted to get back at you for that stupid chocolate thing last year and I put chocolate spray on everything."

"Only you…" Sasuke chuckled under his breath.

"Yes! It was fucking stupid alright I…wait, what?"

The raven tossed the stuffed animal off to the side to join the lighter fluid, Dictionary and the Hamster that read '_Over the Hill_' with a sigh.

"You tried." Sasuke shrugged, "That's good enough."

Naruto cocked his head to the side before whipping his head around and looking behind him before facing Sasuke again, "You high?"

"Idiot."

"I know Santa didn't land his holly-jolly foot up your ass…what's wrong with you?" Naruto said leaning forward and resting his right hand on Sasuke's forehead.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, swatting away Naruto's hand.

"Checking for a fever, but you feel fine."

"Dobe." Sasuke quipped, "You've been looking forward to today and I'm trying my best to make it fine. Don't make me kill you and ruin it."

Naruto snorted, "I say, are you hinting at a kind bone in your body?"

There was a quick slap landed upside Naruto's head, "I figured today could be the stepping stone for us getting along better."

"Itachi drugged you, didn't he? Because Uchiha's don't say shit like that…"

The raven glared before pointing towards a pile of wrapping paper that had been tossed aside along the way, "Your gift is under there."

Naruto watched as Sasuke walked out of the room, to where he suspected, was to get more clothes on and be less annoyed. The blond was indeed happy that Sasuke was putting an effort not only into the holiday but their relationship. Hell, he might even have to thank the bastard.

So noting that Sasuke was making an effort he supposed for a moment or two he could put the joking and things aside and get along with him. At least for Christmas. Then he figured they could go back to annoying the hell out of each other.

He bent down and batted away layer after layer of wrapping paper and extracted one small package that hadn't been shoved to the unreachable part of underneath the tree with a small smile. It was wrapped in a hurried fashion and the bow had barely been put on, but Naruto could at least tell that Sasuke put his stubborn notions aside to wrap the thing himself.

Naruto started humming a small tune of a commercial jingle he couldn't get out of his head as he stripped the wrapping paper and let it simply fall at his feet. He huffed when he reached a small cardboard box but sighed gently in relief when he realized it wasn't taped and was easy to open.

Inside though, was something he wasn't dare expecting.

It was a tiny little colored box and a popular jewelry store name branded in gold letters on top. Naruto slowly took out the box and popped off the top to find yet another container with a frustrated sigh.

He quickly threw the branded box over his shoulder and opened the tacky colored, cheep velvet box to have his jaw drop.

"A fucking wedding band?"

Naruto pulled the bright golden band out of the box and turned on his heel, stomping through their tiny house and intending to go to their bedroom where he suspected Sasuke was lurking. Instead he found him at the kitchen table reading the pervious days' paper like this happened all the time.

"Sasuke!" Naruto snapped getting his attention, "What the hell?"

"You don't like it?"

"Did I say that?"

Sasuke shrugged, "Then you don't want to?"

"Where did this come from?"

"The jewelry store."

"What spurred this _on_?" Naruto stressed.

"Shikamaru kept going on about making an honest man out of you."

"Lair." Naruto cut.

"Kiba kept going on and on about dedication." Sasuke droned on, flipping a page in the newspaper.

"Try again."

Sasuke shrugged, his eyes still trained on the print before him, "You always give me shit about being possessive, so I thought I'd take it a step further."

"I'm the stupid one?"

"I've always wanted to spend the rest of my life with a man who looks good in a skirt." Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"So this is _your_ idea of a gag gift?"

"Hardly." Sasuke replied as he laid down the paper, "What? Do you want me to get down on one knee and gush like a school girl?"

Naruto huffed, "Never. That is far from you. In fact, I prefer it this way."

There was a smirk, "Why's that?"

Naruto shrugged as he fiddled with the band, "That way I know you haven't completely lost your mind or you haven't been slipped drugs by your brother. Doing it your way works for me. Though, I would have preferred a little something…"

"Like what?"

The blond laughed and handed over the ring, "Maybe you give me the box? Hell, I would have been happy with you staying in the same room."

Sasuke sighed as he took the ring from Naruto and stood, the blond laughing with a shake of his head when the raven grabbed his left hand and singled out his ring finger.

"Damn Sasuke," Naruto whistled, "You'd think you practiced or something."

The raven didn't bother looking at Naruto in the face, "We'll do a ceremony."

"Wait, don't change the subject Uchiha." Naruto said with a sly smile and a tone that mimicked Kakashi's, "Well…my, my…was _the_ Uchiha Sasuke _nervous_?"

"Shut the fuck up dobe." Sasuke clipped.

"O_oooo_h no." Naruto said as the raven slipped the ring on in one quick movement. "I want to live out this moment to the fullest. You…nervous. I should call Itachi. _No_! My father."

There was a swift smack upside Naruto's head once again in the short morning which made the blond duck late, "Don't tell me you're embarrassed too?"

Sasuke snorted, "How can I be embarrassed around the guy who cross-dressed around me for the beginning of our relationship? I held your tits."

"They were nice tits though, so don't complain." Naruto said admiring the ring with a light smile as he twisted the band around his finger. "So is this a friendship ring or what, Uchiha?"

"You know it's not Uzumaki." Sasuke said in a bitter tone.

Naruto locked eyes with Sasuke, a fierce glare gripping his eyes as he stared just slightly up at his long time boyfriend with determination.

"You _really_ want me to say it?" Sasuke asked with an apprehensive tone.

"Want you to say…watch you squirm…isn't it all the same?" Naruto said with a slight grin etching its way onto his face.

Sasuke sighed and began to open his mouth when Naruto corrected him quickly, "You have to take my hand."

"Really? You're really going to make me do this?" Sasuke said, barely smirking.

"I'm getting my moneys worth."

Sasuke barely sighed but nonetheless reached out and took Naruto hand, trying his best to ignore the grin that fully bloomed on his tan face.

"Life partners?"

Naruto felt his lip curl at the dead tone and impassive face and by impulse (or reflex) took his other hand and snapped out a punch to Sasuke's arm.

"Try again."

"Be mine?" A dark slender eyebrow rose closely followed by a shake of Sasuke's head.

"I have all day. I mean, I don't really mind Kakashi and your brother coming over to the house…"

Sasuke leaned forward and gently touched his forehead to Naruto's, though for a split second he considered ramming it. For a split second he considered squeezing Naruto's hand till it hurt. For a split second he considered just saying 'I own you now'. But after that split second he realized this was a moment Naruto wanted to remember for the rest of his life, and the least he could do was suck it up and hope the blond didn't tell the world what he did.

Naruto sucked in a sharp breath when Sasuke leaned in, no doubt thinking something else would come instead of a sweet and lingering kiss. It was gentle and soft and lasted more than the chaste kisses they only had time to share flying out the door to work or on the way to bed.

Naruto felt Sasuke pull away and felt his lips chasing after him to extend the kiss and smiled when he felt him squeeze his hand and rest his forehead against his once again.

"This means for the rest of your life. With me. Are you ready for that?"

Naruto was tempted to snap his head back, roll his eyes, throw up his hands and say 'good enough' when he realized Sasuke was indeed trying his best.  
So with a nod, a bright smile and a bit of a sigh he did his own best to give a good enough answer.

"Yeah."

As quickly as the moment started – it ended. Sasuke quickly pulled back leaving Naruto to stumble forward after the loss of little extra balance. Sasuke sat back down at the table and grabbed his toast and newspaper and went back to how he was before he was interrupted.

So Naruto turned to head back out towards the Christmas tree; throwing up his hands, rolling his eyes and laughing while he shouted, "Good enough, bastard."

"What was that?" Sasuke shouted back with a glare.

Naruto crouched down next to the tree, grabbing the last box that was intended for Sasuke and even ignoring his own extra gifts for the time being.  
"I was just wondering where my wonderful boyfriend from high school went." Naruto shouted as he scooped up the box and stood.

"He died in college and was taken over by a maniacal bastard that's sworn his undying allegiance to drive you crazy." Sasuke replied back with a flip of a page.

Naruto handed over the wrapped box and rubbed at his boxers, "What, no love?"

"Only Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's…from two to four in the afternoon, and maybe two Sunday's a year." Sasuke replied with a smirk as he laid down the newspaper and looked over at the box that was thrust in his face.

"Last one." The blond said as the box was taken from his hand and he stood there and watched as Sasuke unwrapped the paper and gently put it in a neat pile on the small dining room table.

Sasuke opened the box and felt his head jerk back in question when he held up the garment.

"A skirt?"

Naruto heard the front door bang open and heard the voices of not only Kakashi and Itachi but Kiba as well, no doubt bored within five minutes of waiting for the two of them to come over. So Naruto gave a smirk that mirrored Sasuke's to the 'T' and shrugged.

"I couldn't help myself. But you know what this means, don't you?"

"Do I want to know?" Sasuke asked as he placed the skirt back in the box cautiously as if it were armed to explode.

"You're engaged to the one man on Earth who looks _the_ best in a skirt."

Sasuke stood, the box in hand, "This is my Christmas gift?"

"Yeah, use it till your hearts content. Don't let me stop you. Everything else will get here in do time anyway. I figure by the time your good gifts get here you'll be done with your skirt, hamster and peanut butter and jelly."

Naruto glanced towards the entry way to their kitchen when he heard Kakashi call out merrily and heard Iruka's groan follow shortly after when it mingled with Kiba's snicker.

"Anything?"

Naruto shrugged as he stopped towards the doorway, "Sure. Anything."

--0--

"Come on Naruto!" Kiba yelled, "Iruka has started to redecorate."

"Kiba, where is our lovely little Hinata?" Kakashi asked sweetly even though he was busy snooping through Naruto's mail.

The brunette shrugged, "She's with her family and I had to spend the morning with my mother. If I missed one more Christmas morning I would be dead."

"How pleasant." Kakashi replied merrily obviously not hearing the whole statement.

"What's taking those two so long?" Kiba muttered as he fiddled with the straps of two gift bags.

There was a loud throat clear that cut through the bored air of the living room centered in the front of the house. Kakashi put down Naruto's bank statement, Itachi put down Sasuke's cell phone, Iruka finally gave up trying to stop two grown men from acting childish and Kiba dropped the presents.

Naruto pursed his lips as he stood in the entryway that crossed into the dining room that connected with the living room. He had his arms crossed over his bare chest as he glared at the ground; his right foot tapping rapidly in an annoyed habit.

"I'm having that wonderful sense of déjà vu…" Kakashi hummed.

Sasuke walked up behind Naruto, a sick and eerie smile just barely carved on his face. Sasuke tugged on the skirt that was squeezed around Naruto's waist and let the red and black plaid pattern fall.

"Naruto has something to announce for us."

The blond dug his tongue into his check before turning his head as far as it could go to the right just catching Sasuke in his sight and muttering under his breath, "I make you do something sweet and this is the payback?"

"Always."

Naruto turned to find the four people in the room with their mouths turned into contained smiles, their shoulders shaking from contained laugher (aside Itachi) and sighed at the familiar feeling of all eyes on himself because of a damn skirt.

"We got engaged or whatever it is two guys do." He muttered almost bitterly.

"Apparently role-play." Kakashi cackled.

"Is this _actually_ serious?" Kiba asked, his face pulled in several different directions, "Wait! I've known you both for years…that's a dumb question."

"Why the skirt?" Iruka asked gently as he tried to hide the confusion in his voice.

Sasuke reached his hand down, ripping off a piece of wrapping paper that had gotten stuck on the skirt at some point in time or the other and shrugged.

"It was my Christmas gift."

* * *

Author's Notes: Little something extra. With love. Lots of love.  
--I'm also hoping (really hoping) that after these stressful (and fucking busy) holidays I'll be back in the full swing of writing.


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